Cataract surgery, one eye — Canada: What it costs and how long people wait

Official figures and published prices. Each figure retains its source, date and scope. Public tariffs are health-system payments, not private quotes; recorded waits do not promise a current appointment.

The answer from the data

British Columbia: 5.7 weeks — median waiting time, patients who were treated (2026-04-01/2026-06-30). Source: British Columbia Ministry of Health · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1
Historical data (2025-04-01/2025-06-30) — not current waitNova Scotia: 64 days — median waiting time, patients who were treated (2025-04-01/2025-06-30). Source: Nova Scotia Health · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1
British Columbia: 22.1 weeks — 90% of patients who were treated waited this long or less (2026-04-01/2026-06-30). Source: British Columbia Ministry of Health · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1
Historical data (2025-04-01/2025-06-30) — not current waitNova Scotia: 141 days — 90% of patients who were treated waited this long or less (2025-04-01/2025-06-30). Source: Nova Scotia Health · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1

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Official public tariff

No official figure yet. How we collect official figures

No eligible price in this subset.

Official wait

British Columbia: 5.7 weeks — median waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: British Columbia Ministry of Health · Source period: 2026-04-01/2026-06-30 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Canada (British Columbia). Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Official BC surgical procedure-group percentile, all ages, scheduled inpatient/day surgeries. Wait Two begins when the health authority receives the booking form. Cataract procedure group does not identify lens specification. Consult wait excluded. No averaging of facility or authority percentiles. Definitions: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/surgical-wait-times/understanding-wait-times/wait-time-procedure-groupings

Audit trail (1)

Methodology and exclusions

British Columbia: 22.1 weeks — 90% of patients who were treated waited this long or less

Source: British Columbia Ministry of Health · Source period: 2026-04-01/2026-06-30 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Canada (British Columbia). Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: p90. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Audit trail (1)

Methodology and exclusions

Historical data (2025-04-01/2025-06-30) — not current waitNova Scotia: 64 days — median waiting time, patients who were treated

Source: Nova Scotia Health · Source period: 2025-04-01/2025-06-30 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Canada (Nova Scotia). Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: median waiting time. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Patient Access Registry Nova Scotia historical completed surgery waits in days; primary replacements and first cataract surgery. Referral-to-consultation wait is separate. Provincial quarterly aggregate, not a national estimate. Open-data dataset is a historical snapshot; newer clinical website results may differ.

Audit trail (1)

Methodology and exclusions

Historical data (2025-04-01/2025-06-30) — not current waitNova Scotia: 141 days — 90% of patients who were treated waited this long or less

Source: Nova Scotia Health · Source period: 2025-04-01/2025-06-30 · Captured: 2026-10-14 · n=1 observations

What this figure covers

Scope: Canada (Nova Scotia). Population: patients who were treated. Reported statistic: p90. Shown as reported by the source.

n=1 eligible observations. n is not a patient count. Episode equivalence: unverified.

Audit trail (1)

Methodology and exclusions

Source series, payment components and distributions

Price: — Not in snapshot yet

Wait

5.7 weeksTypical (median) wait at public hospitals (completed patients)Half of patients treated at public hospitals in 2026-04-01/2026-06-30 waited less than this, and half waited longer.Period: 2026-04-01/2026-06-30 · British ColumbiaSource: British Columbia Ministry of Health

22.1 weeksLong-wait benchmark: 9 in 10 public patients treated within (90th percentile, completed patients)90% of patients who completed surgery in 2026-04-01/2026-06-30 waited this long or less; 10% waited longer.Period: 2026-04-01/2026-06-30 · British ColumbiaSource: British Columbia Ministry of Health

64 days (~2.1 months)Typical (median) wait at public hospitals (completed patients)Half of patients treated at public hospitals in 2025-04-01/2025-06-30 waited less than this, and half waited longer.Period: 2025-04-01/2025-06-30 · Nova ScotiaHistorical data (2025-04-01/2025-06-30) — not current waitSource: Nova Scotia Health

141 days (~4.6 months)Long-wait benchmark: 9 in 10 public patients treated within (90th percentile, completed patients)90% of patients who completed surgery in 2025-04-01/2025-06-30 waited this long or less; 10% waited longer.Period: 2025-04-01/2025-06-30 · Nova ScotiaHistorical data (2025-04-01/2025-06-30) — not current waitSource: Nova Scotia Health

Compare other countries with data

Check scope, payer, statistic, population and period. Figures may cover different services; they are not a clinical ranking.

Compare other countries with data
Country	Summary and detail
Argentina	Public payment tariffs Public hospital / intervention tariff; check scopepublished amount: 1,601,681 ARS · 1 price series · n=1 observations Wait: — Not in snapshot yetView figures and sources →
Belgium	Public payment tariffs Public doctor fee onlypublished amount: 482.21 EUR · 1 price series · n=1 observations Wait: — Not in snapshot yetView figures and sources →
Chile	Price: — Not in snapshot yetOfficial public wait: 4 series; statistics, populations and periods in details.View figures and sources →
Czechia	Private published prices Component onlyfrom: 19,500 CZK · 1 price series · n=1 observations Wait: — Not in snapshot yetView figures and sources →
Spain	Price: — Not in snapshot yetOfficial public wait: 1 series; statistics, populations and periods in details.View figures and sources →
Finland	Price: — Not in snapshot yetOfficial public wait: 2 series; statistics, populations and periods in details.View figures and sources →
France	Public payment tariffs Public hospital / intervention tariff; check scopepublished amount: 1,510.79 EUR · 1 price series · n=1 observations Wait: — Not in snapshot yetView figures and sources →
United Kingdom	Public payment tariffs Public hospital / intervention tariff; check scopepublished amount: 755 GBP · 1 price series · n=1 observations Private published prices Scope not establishedguide price from (guide / approximate): 3,335 GBP · 1 price series · n=1 observations Official public wait: 6 series; statistics, populations and periods in details.View figures and sources →
India	Private published prices Published package; check inclusionspublished lower bound (guide / approximate): 12,000 INR · 1 price series · n=1 observations Public payment tariffs Public hospital / intervention tariff; check scopepublished amount: 4,000–5,700 INR · 2 price series · n=6 observations Wait: — Not in snapshot yetView figures and sources →
Italy	Price: — Not in snapshot yetOfficial public wait: 2 series; statistics, populations and periods in details.View figures and sources →
Mexico	Private published prices Component onlyfrom: 15,300 MXN · 1 price series · n=1 observations Wait: — Not in snapshot yetView figures and sources →
Norway	Price: — Not in snapshot yetOfficial public wait: 2 series; statistics, populations and periods in details.View figures and sources →
New Zealand	Price: — Not in snapshot yetOfficial public wait: 4 series; statistics, populations and periods in details.View figures and sources →
Poland	Price: — Not in snapshot yetOfficial public wait: 1 series; statistics, populations and periods in details.View figures and sources →
Portugal	Price: — Not in snapshot yetOfficial public wait: 4 series; statistics, populations and periods in details.View figures and sources →
Sweden	Price: — Not in snapshot yetOfficial public wait: 4 series; statistics, populations and periods in details.View figures and sources →
Thailand	Private published prices Published package; check inclusionspublished amount: 79,000 THB · 1 price series · n=1 observations Wait: — Not in snapshot yetView figures and sources →
United States	Public payment tariffs Public hospital / intervention tariff; check scopepublished amount: 2,357.81 USD · 1 price series · n=1 observations Public doctor fee onlypublished amount: 424.94–587.58 USD · 1 price series · n=109 observations Separate hospital and doctor payment schedules. Do not add together.Wait: — Not in snapshot yetView figures and sources →

Travel planning checklist

What to arrange if you travel for this procedure.

Flights: choose flexible tickets and ask your surgeon when it is safe to fly home.
Stay near the clinic: ask the center how long to remain nearby and confirm travel timing with your clinician before booking.
Airport transfer: ask the clinic whether it is included.
Phone and data: arrange mobile data before you land so the clinic can reach you.
Travel insurance: standard policies often exclude planned treatment abroad; check cover for complications before you book.
Documents: bring your medical records, imaging and a medication list, in English or the local language.
Companion: for surgery, consider travelling with someone who can help during recovery.

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Frequently asked questions

What waiting time has been reported? (British Columbia; median waiting time; 2026-04-01/2026-06-30; British Columbia Ministry of Health)

5.7 weeks — median waiting time, patients who were treated. Source period: 2026-04-01/2026-06-30. Captured: 2026-10-14. n=1. Source: https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/7c1bf2a8-96bb-4ad5-888d-a90672eb306e/resource/0c430fa8-043c-48d8-8e61-ecdab63b9ef3/download/2026_2027-quarterly-surgical_wait_times-q1-interim.xlsx. Official BC surgical procedure-group percentile, all ages, scheduled inpatient/day surgeries. Wait Two begins when the health authority receives the booking form. Cataract procedure group does not identify lens specification. Consult wait excluded. No averaging of facility or authority percentiles. Definitions: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/surgical-wait-times/understanding-wait-times/wait-time-procedure-groupings

What waiting time has been reported? (British Columbia; p90; 2026-04-01/2026-06-30; British Columbia Ministry of Health)

22.1 weeks — 90% of patients who were treated waited this long or less. Source period: 2026-04-01/2026-06-30. Captured: 2026-10-14. n=1. Source: https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/7c1bf2a8-96bb-4ad5-888d-a90672eb306e/resource/0c430fa8-043c-48d8-8e61-ecdab63b9ef3/download/2026_2027-quarterly-surgical_wait_times-q1-interim.xlsx. Official BC surgical procedure-group percentile, all ages, scheduled inpatient/day surgeries. Wait Two begins when the health authority receives the booking form. Cataract procedure group does not identify lens specification. Consult wait excluded. No averaging of facility or authority percentiles. Definitions: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/surgical-wait-times/understanding-wait-times/wait-time-procedure-groupings

What waiting time has been reported? (Nova Scotia; median waiting time; 2025-04-01/2025-06-30; Nova Scotia Health)

Historical data (2025-04-01/2025-06-30) — not current wait 64 days — median waiting time, patients who were treated. Source period: 2025-04-01/2025-06-30. Captured: 2026-10-14. n=1. Source: https://data.novascotia.ca/api/views/wu5w-qxki/rows.csv?accessType=DOWNLOAD. Patient Access Registry Nova Scotia historical completed surgery waits in days; primary replacements and first cataract surgery. Referral-to-consultation wait is separate. Provincial quarterly aggregate, not a national estimate. Open-data dataset is a historical snapshot; newer clinical website results may differ.

What waiting time has been reported? (Nova Scotia; p90; 2025-04-01/2025-06-30; Nova Scotia Health)

Historical data (2025-04-01/2025-06-30) — not current wait 141 days — 90% of patients who were treated waited this long or less. Source period: 2025-04-01/2025-06-30. Captured: 2026-10-14. n=1. Source: https://data.novascotia.ca/api/views/wu5w-qxki/rows.csv?accessType=DOWNLOAD. Patient Access Registry Nova Scotia historical completed surgery waits in days; primary replacements and first cataract surgery. Referral-to-consultation wait is separate. Provincial quarterly aggregate, not a national estimate. Open-data dataset is a historical snapshot; newer clinical website results may differ.

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How to cite

Plain text (fill in the access date)

CareFare Global (SOFT DEV FZ LLC). “CareFare Global Health Index: Cataract surgery, one eye — Canada: What it costs and how long people wait.” Version 1; evidence capture cutoff 2026-10-14. https://carefareglobal.com/index/cataract-1eye/canada. Accessed: [YYYY-MM-DD: fill in access date].

BibTeX

@misc{carefare_health_index__index_cataract_1eye_canada,
  author = {{CareFare Global (SOFT DEV FZ LLC)}},
  title = {CareFare Global Health Index: Cataract surgery, one eye — Canada: What it costs and how long people wait},
  publisher = {CareFare Global Health Index},
  version = {1},
  date = {2026-10-14},
  url = {https://carefareglobal.com/index/cataract-1eye/canada},
  urldate = {YYYY-MM-DD},
  note = {Evidence capture cutoff: 2026-10-14. Fill in urldate before reuse; cite also the original source and source period.}
}

CC BY 4.0 — CC BY 4.0 covers CareFare compilation and aggregates. Original source material, evidence and third-party code systems retain their own rights; no sublicence of those rights is granted.

Cite also the original source (including comparisons on this page)

British Columbia Ministry of Health — https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/7c1bf2a8-96bb-4ad5-888d-a90672eb306e/resource/0c430fa8-043c-48d8-8e61-ecdab63b9ef3/download/2026_2027-quarterly-surgical_wait_times-q1-interim.xlsx
Source periods: 2026-04-01/2026-06-30. Capture dates: 2026-10-14.
Nova Scotia Health — https://data.novascotia.ca/api/views/wu5w-qxki/rows.csv?accessType=DOWNLOAD
Source periods: 2025-04-01/2025-06-30. Capture dates: 2026-10-14.

Cataract surgery, one eye — Canada: What it costs and how long people wait

The answer from the data

Official public tariff

Official wait

Source series, payment components and distributions

Compare other countries with data

Public payment tariffs

Public payment tariffs

Private published prices

Public payment tariffs

Public payment tariffs

Private published prices

Private published prices

Public payment tariffs

Private published prices

Private published prices

Public payment tariffs

Travel planning checklist

Plan the trip around this procedure

Frequently asked questions

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